KUALA LUMPUR: The late former director-general of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Datuk Dr Firdaus Abdullah, who passed away at the age of 79 early Thursday (April 11) morning, was laid to rest at the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery at 3pm.

About 100 family members and friends were present to pay their last respects to the deceased.

Earlier, the remains of Firdaus, who was also known as a writer and poet, were taken to Kampung Baru Jamek Mosque for funeral prayers.

Meanwhile, his second son, Falahi Sarisatriya, 40, said that his father died at 5am Thursday at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) due to lymphoma cancer.

"My father was admitted to HKL more than a month ago to undergo cancer treatment. His cancer was getting worse, and was confirmed to be at stage three last week, before he passed away this morning,” he told reporters when met after the funeral.

Recognised for his active engagement in advocating Bahasa Melayu, Firdaus is also known for several works, including the poetry collection Prisma Mimpi (1985), and the children's poetry collection Puisi Amira dan Falahi (1986), apart from most of his short poems published in poetry anthologies and periodicals.

He received his early education at SM Methodist Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, before continuing his studies in a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Political Science at Northern Illinois University in the United States (US) in 1969.

He also holds a Master's Degree in Communication and International Relations from Ohio University, and a Master’s Degree in Philosophy and Comparative Politics, as well as a PhD in Political Science from Columbia University, US.

In his career, the late Firdaus started as an assistant lecturer (temporary) at the Economics and Administration Faculty, Universiti Malaya, and served as deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs) at Universiti Malaya from 1998 to 2001.

In the private sector, he served as a reporter for Berita Harian and News Straits Times, and as executive chairman of Utusan Karya Sdn Bhd, while in politics he was appointed twice as a senator starting in 2009. - Bernama